Automatic cooker



c.F.VFoRD. AUTOMATIC COOKER.

1,310,495. AFPLIATlON FILED MAR'. l. 191.9. 22,

4 SHEETS-SHEET ll mow;

@7l/ w y K f77-3067257,

c. f. man. AUTOMATIC COOKER.

` 1,316,495u l l \`PPLICATl0N FILED MAR. l'. i919. Patented 22,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. F. FORD.

AUTOMATIC COOKEH.

APPLlcATloN FILED MAR.I.1919.

Patented July 22, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- C. F. FORD.

AUTOMATIC COOKER.

APPLICATION FILED MAII. I, 1919.

Patented July 22, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

CHARLES FREDERICK FORD, OF CHICAGOLILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC COOKER.

Specification of Letters `latent @Patenten .rely 2a, raie.

Application filed March 1, 1919. Serial No. 280,154. I

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, `CHARLES FREDERICK FORD, acitizen of the United States, residing 'at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in vAutomatic Cookers, of which the following is aspecification. Y

The object of this invention is, broadly, to provide an automaticmachine of simple construction for cooking material by a succession ofsteps and which includes means for progressively subjecting the materialto cooking action in a plurality of kettles and conveying the materialfrom kettle to kettle in one complete operation.. And in connection withthe general cooking operation the invention also has for its objects toprovide for autoniatically filling and for autoilnatically dischargingthe vreceptacle which carries the material throughout the cookingoperation. i

'.lhc invention also has other objects `in vieu" which will hereinafterappear in the detail description of a preferred embodiment of theinvention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, and partly broken away,showing the carrier in full lines inelevated position`\`and indi- 'catedby broken li-nes in its lowered position.

In this figure I have shown only two carrying receptacles to avoidconfuslon of l1nes.\

'Fig 2 is a detail enlarged View ofthe timing mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through the support near' thebottom thereof; l

F ig. 4 is a top plan view of the machine showing the worm shaft insection;

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views'of the timer switch; y

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating i the circuits;

Fig. 8 is anelevation showing the switch mechanism for limiting theupward and downward movement of the carrier;

'.Fig. 9 isa horizontal sectional view on Fig. 10 is an enlarged detailsectional view of the certain parts shownin Fig. 9;

Figs. 1l and. 12 are sectional views showing the devices which permit'intermittent rotation of the carrier;

support for the carrier. This carrier comprises a hollow sleeve 2arranged on 4the standard 1 to travel lengthwise thereof, and aplurality'of radial arms 3, struts 4 andv braces 5 suitably connectedand mounted on the sleeve and constituting the frame of the carrier.This frame can be conveniently and inexpensively made of pipe and pipefittings but other materials may be used for the purpose as desired.Each of the radial arms 3 of the carrier frame is provided at its outerend with a cross bar 6 and'hangers 7 are pivotally connected at theirupper ends to thevends lof the cross'bar and are also pivotallyconnect-ed 'at their lower ends to studs 8 on the receptacles 9 o-f thecarrier.y Each of these receptacles comprises a skeleton frame 10 ofcylindrical form having its sides and bottom covered with wire mesh orother suitable openfwork material. I may make the sides of Wire mesh andthe bottom of a perforated plate, or both the sides and bottom may bemade of perforated sheet metal, if desired, the purpose being to providea basket-like receptacle adapted to hold granuspaced relationcorresponding to the4 spaced relation of the carrier receptacles andeach kettle is mounted on a suitable stand 12 and lheated by a gasburner 13 or other suitable source of heat.

I. ypreferably provide for the automatic dischar e-of each receptacleafter it has completed t e roundf lcooking' steps inthe kettles and Ihave'foundit convenient to proiai lllll I vide one kettle less than thefull number of receptacles and to locate the receiving ho-pper 14between the first and last kettles.

This hopper' may be made of any suitable size and in any suitable shapeand it is provided with an outlet spout 15 which will deliver thematerial as required.

To automatically discharge a receptacle I provide'the hopper withangularly disposed tracks 16 (Fig. 1) fastened to the sides of thehopper and projecting above the same and terminating wlithin the hopperin curved ends 17. These tracks are arranged to be engaged by rollers 18on the sides of the receptacle, at the bottom thereof, yand in alinementwith the studs 8, and when a. receptacle is lowered in relation to thehopper the rollers engage the tracks and travel down these tracks untilthey rea-ch and are supported in the curved ends 17. During ,f thisdownward movement of the receptacle,

and because the tracks incline rearwardlyp the receptacle will tiltforward, and as the downward movelnent continues the receptacle willturn substantially upside down, insuring the complete discharge o-f allthe materia therein into the hopper. The kettles contain the cookingluidand when the calurier is elevated the iiuid willdrain out of thereceptacles and fall back into the ketltles. I provide a drip pan 19 atthe top of the ket-tles and the receiving hopper to catch any drippingswhich might otherwise fall on the floor lfrom the receptacles when inelevated position, and while the carrier is rotating intermittently,-and I prefer to make the drip pan with radial elevated lrlidges 20'between the kettles to insure the return 'of such drippings to thekettles.

The` means for raising and lowering thecarrier comprise a threadedcollar 21 (Fig. 1) rigidly held in a bushing 22 securely mounted in thehead 23 of the vertically movable sleeve 2. This collar travels o-n aworm shaft 24 arranged within the sleeve 2 and the standard 1 andcarrying a worm gear 25 at its lower end which meshes with la w'orm 26on the shaft 27 of a reversing driving motor28 (Figs. 1, 3). It is onlynecessary to provide the shaft 24 with a worm thread for a suflicientdistance to somewhat more than cover the limit of travel of the collar21. The collar is preferably made of phosphor bronze and both the collarand bushing are rigidly secured within the carrier head to ins-uretravel of the carrier vertically on the worm shaft when the latter isrotated. During this travel the carrier is restrained against the normaltendency to turn with the worm shaft until the carrier has approachedits limit of upward travel and then means are provid-ed to permit alimited rotary movement of the carrier to advance the receptacles a stepin the cooking operation. This means Comprises a guide track on thestandard and a plurality o-f radial pins on the sleeve. these pinssuccessively operating in the track to prevent rotation of the carrier,anda switch device at the top of the track which permits llimitedrotation of the carrier at the pro-per time, and which will now -bedescribed.

Two parallel bars 29, 29, (Figs. 9-12) lare fastened to the standard 1and spaced apart to provide a track 30 therebetween. The bar 29 extendsabove the bar 29 and a switch bar 31 is pivotally' mounted at the upperend of the bar 29. Between these bars and adjacent the switch bar thereis a filler block 32 lhaving an incline 33 at its lower end and anincline /34 at its upper end. A conveniient construction is illustratedin Fig. 11 in which an intermediate portion of bar 29 and the tillerblock are.

the sleeve `2 adjacent the lower end thereof andan outer ring 36 issuitably spaced from the inner ring. These two rings constitute guidesfor a. plurality of radially disposed pins 37 which project tlrrough therings and are provided with roller heads 3S which engage thestandardV 1. A spring 39 is arranged o-n each 4of the pins between theouter ring and a rigid flange 4 0 on the pin to project the pinforwardly into engagement with the standard. Each pin may constitute agrease cup and flor that purpose it` can be made of tubular form andprovided with a plu-g 41 at'its inner end having a'. bore 42 opening inthe journal of the roller 38. A cap 43 screw-threaded in the outerreduced end of the tulbullfar pin can be removed to permit insertion ofgrease. s

The parts are so constructed and proporw t-ioned and arranged that atall times one pin will be larranged to travel in the track 30, anotherp1in willl be arranged to travel against the outer edge of the bar 29and another pin will travel adjacent the'outer edge. of bar 29. In thenormal operation of the machine the pin traveling in track 30 will luideagainst the inner edge of bar 29, the pin traveling at the right of bar29 will ride against the outer edge of said bar, while. the pintraveling at the left of bar 29 will not perform any function exceptasit may cooperate with the pin traveling in track 30 to preventaccidental reverse rotary movement of the carnier.

A ring 44 is seated in a groove 45 adjacent the lower end of sleeve 2anda guide plate 46 is secured to this ring by set screws 47. The plate46 is arranged o-n the standard 1 and constitutes a bottom guide for thesleeve 2. The plafte is recessed at 48 (Fig.

12) to yaccommodate the bars 29, 29 and these bars seated in said recesswill prevent the plate from turning with the sleeve 2..

Thus the bottom guide travels with the sleeve in its ventical movementbefore the ring 44 slides-in the groove 45 and the plate remainsrelatively fixed' in the-turning movement of the carrier.

The switch ibar 31 is weighted to normally hang in upright position, asindicated in full lines in Fig. 11. When the motor 28 isoperated toraise the carrier it will lbe restrained from the normal tendency torotate induced by the worm shaft, as before stated, until the pintraveling in track. rides up incline 33 onto ller block 32, at'whichtime the `pin riding against'the lower portion of switch b-ar .31 (thenconstituting a continuation of bar 29)v prevents rotation of thecarrier.A When this latter pin passes the pivot 31 of the switch bar inthe upward movement of the carrier, the switch bar is swungv to thedotted position shown in Fig. 11 by the side pressure of the pin whichhas 'traveled up against the outer edge of bar 29 and the restraintagainst rotative movement of the carrierheing temporarily released t-hecarrier will rotate a step. The switch |bar constitutes a guide for thispin during the conjoint upward and rotative movement of the carrieruntil the rpin engages the inner edge of the upper end portion of bar 29which thus limits the rotative movement of the carrier. During this partof the upward movement of the carrier the pin which has ridden up ontothe filler block 32 travels obliquely across said block and -drops downinto position adjacent the outer edge of the upper portion of bar 29 'ator just before the time the aforementioned pin rides off the switch lbarinto engagement. Thus the carrier is rotated a Astep* lwhen 'it hasneared the limit of its upward movement,- at which time the receptacleshave been lifted out of the kettles and the/'discharge hopper and eachreceptacle is re-positioned t0 be lowered into the kettlein advance of-the one from which it has been lifted, or into the discharge hopper.After the pin has riddenl Aofi" of switch bar 31 the latter willswing'by gravity hack from dotted position to its normal f ull lineposition (Fig. l1) and on the downward movement ofthe carrier the pinwhich is now riding againstithe inner edge of theupper portion lof bar29, and

` alone restraining the normal tendency ofthe carrier to rotate, willtravel up incline 34 onto filler block 32, ibut 'by 'this Atime the nextadjacent .pin to the lefot willl be riding against the outer portion ofthe bar 29 and will restrain the carrier against rotation.

Asthe carrier continues its-downward travel the pin onv filler block. 32will travel down incline. 33 into track 30 and it will thereaftercoperate. with' the pin which has ridden down against the outer side ofbar 29` nlsm comprises a continuously operating motor 49 which drives alarge gear 50 on the vshaft 51 journaled in suitable bearings 1n afra-me 52. A pinion 53 is slidably llmounted on the shaft 51, but keyedto revolve therewith and `a block 54 slidably mounted on the rod 55 isengaged with the pmlo'n and is adapted to he locked in adjusted positionby4 a set screw 56. A plurality of gears 57 of different diameter aremounted on the shaft 58 and these gears mesh respectively with idlegears 59 journaled in bearings in the frame 52. By ad- ]ustlng the block54 on rod 55 the pinion 53 can be adjusted to mesh with one of the gears59 and thereby drive the shaft 58v at a selective rate of speed.

A pair of fiber disks`60 are mounted on the shaft 58- to revolvetherewith and each of these disks is provided with a pair of contact.pieces 61, one on each side of the disk, pivotally mounted on a. pin 62extending transversely through the disk. Spring contact fingers 63mounted on the frame 52, but insulated therefrom, are arranged in thepath of the conta-ct pieces to establishan electric circuit during thatportion of the revolution of the disk when the contact pieces and theoppositely disposed spring ngers are in engagement. The contact pieceson one disk are of sufficient length to open an; electric circuitthrough the controller for operating the motor 28 and rotate the wormshaft to elevate the carrier. The contact pieces on the other disk areso -disposed with relation -to the contact pieces on the firstmentioneddisk and are of such length that when the circuit is in a similar manneresis indicated by the dottedcontact piece and `the full llne contactpiece shown in Figy.

The position ofthe conta/ot pieces of one disk with relation to those ofthe other disk may be changed to time the movements of lthe carrier inany manner desired, as will be readily-understood. A suitable device 64may ibe mounted on the .disks for adjusting each contact piece 61 withrelation to its finger 63 to provide for .wear of the VContact lio "comprising a casing suitably disposed at.

the bottom of the standard 1 and-having therein a pair of liber disks66, 66 mounted on shafts 6'7 supported in the casing. An angle arni 68projects outward through the frame and is connected at its inner end tothe shaft of disk 66. This angle arm is also connected by pivotallyconnected links 69, 69 with the shaft of disk 66. -Each of these diskscarries contacts 70 (Fig. 17) arranged to engage the contact plates 71mounted on a fiberblock 72 in the casing and connectedv in circuit withthe motor 28. Expansion springs 73 are connected to the disks 66, 66 andto the casing and operate on the disks to hold the contacts 70 norimally in closed position. A shaft 74 carrying a pulley 75 is mounted ina rccking bearing 76 atl one end and in a bearmg 77 floating betweenthesprings 78 at the other-end. A Icable 79 is attached to the pulleyand to an arm 80 fastened to the'bottom plate 46 of the sleeve 2, thisarm being provided with a set screw 81 on its underside which isarranged to engage the angle arm 68 and i which can be employed to makea ner adj ustment ofthe limit of travel of the carrier than can be madeby adjusting the cable alone. ,l

In practice ther safety device is employed to stop the motor at thelimit of the upward y and at the limit of the downwardv travel of thecarrier and it is employed to supplement the timing device and toprovide positive limits to the travel of the carrier. On the downwardmovement of the carrier, spring 74 on shaft v74 will turn said shaft toWind up cable 79 and the set screw 81 will engage and swing angle, arm68 on its pivotp67 and this arm will pull on link 69 and swing link 69lon its pivot 67 and against a-pin 82 on the disk 66', thereby revolvingthe disk sufliciently to vwithdraw the contact from the contact plates 71 and breaking the circuit through the controller to the motor 28.

y On the upward travel of the carrier'when the cable 78 becomes taut itwill swing shaft 74 in its bearings sufciently to engage the pulley withangle arm 68 and swing this arm on its pivot 67 against a pin 83 on disk.f

66 sufliciently to withdraw the contacts 70 on this diskfrom contactplates 71, thereby breaking the circuit through the controller to themotor 28.

I also provide automatic means for filling the receptacle immediatelyafter it has been emptied and while it is being lowered into the firstkettle of the series. .A supply hopper 84 has a spout 85'communicatingwith a chute 86 which is arranged to discharge into the receptacle l9.The spout has an opening 87 which is normally closed by a disk 88provided with a corresponding opening 89. 'IIhe disk is mounted on ashaft 90 which carries an arm 91 provided with a yieldmgly mountedend 92arranged in the path of a roller 93 on the end of each of the radlalarms 3. When the carrier begins its descent lowering the emptyreceptacle 9 into the first kettle, the roller 93 on the radial armassociated with the empty receptacle will swing the arm 91 and rock theshaft 90, thereby revolving disk 88 and registerlng opening 89 thereinwith opening 8-7 1n the spout 85 and permitting material in the supplyhopper to flow into the empty receptacle. A full charge of materialwillv have been delivered into the receptacle by the time the latter islowered sufficiently to carry the roller 93 beyond the end 92 of arm 91.During the rotary motion of shaft 90, as described, -the cable 94carrying weight 95 and traveling on pulley 96 rigid with shaft 90, willwind up on the pulley, and immediately roller 93 releases vthe operatingarm 9 1, 92 the weight 95 will reverse the rotary movement of shaft 90and move disk 88 until opening 89 is out of register with opening 87.

.My invention' providesa comparatively simple automatic machine forcooking material in. a plurality of successive steps without requiringany attention on the part of the operator, and further than this itprovides a machine which may be maintained in constant operation withoutthe attention -of an operator, automatically filling the receptacles,moving the receptacles step by step. and from one kettle to another inanv intermittent progressive cooking operation p and automaticallydischarging the material afterthe cooking operation is completed. Themachine may be timed in anyv manner desired to vary the length of timethe material remains in the kettles or length of time the material ispassing from one receptacle to another and many other changes in theform and proportion of parts and in the details -of construction of myinvention `may be made within the scope of the ap-` lpended claimswithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of theinvention.

I have found my invention especially adapted ,for makingsalted peanuts.The

shelled peanuts are loaded into the basket receptacles and subjected tothe progressive cooking operation in the kettles containing cocoanut oilor ,otherv suitable cooking fluid.

The invention may be used for other purposes to which it is or may bereadily adapted.

I claim:

l. f An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a Ipluralityof receptacles containing the material to be cooked, and means forautomatically lowering the receptacles into the kettles, raising thereceptacles from'the kettles and advancing them to and lowering them inthe next ad] acent kettles.

2. An automatic'cooker comprising a plu` rality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containing the material to becooked, and means for imparting to the carrier an intermittent movementto progressively subject the material in the receptacles to cookingaction in the various kettles. 4

3- An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles suspended from the carrier and containing thematerial to be cooked, and means for automatically subjecting thematerial in said receptacles to cooking action progressively in thevarious kettles.

4. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles suspended from the carrier and containing thematerial to bei/cooked, and means for imparting an intermittent loweringrotating and vrising'movement to the carrier to subject the material inthe receptacles to a progressive cooking action in the various kettles.

5. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier,-aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containing the material to becooked, means for reciprocatingv the carrier in a vertical direction,and means for intermittently rotating the carrier step by stepat orabout the limit of lits upward lmovement. r

6. An automatic cooker comprising aplurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles 'on the carrier containing the m'aterial to becooked, and means for imparting intermittentlyI to the carrier an upwardmovement, a limited rotary movement near 50' the limit of'its upwardmovement, and a lowering movement afterv the completion of the upwardand intermittent'rotary movements. y

7. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a worm shaft,a carrier arranged to travel vertically on said shaft and having anintermittentrotary movementon the shaft, a plurality of receptacles onthe carrier contalning the material toibe cooked, and means forintermittently operating'said shaft.

8.. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles,` a wormshaft, a carrier having a reciprocating travel on said shaft,

65 means for rotating the carrier a step at each Vralityfof kettles, astandard, a carrierslid- L ing the material to be cooked, and means forvreciprocation of the carrier, and a plurality of receptacles on'thecarrier containing the material to be cooked and adapted to beprogressively arranged in the kettles.

9. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, an uprightworm shaft, a carrierV having a reciprocating travel on said shaft, aplurality of receptacles containing the material to be cooked on saidcarrier and adapted to be arranged progressively in the kettles, andmeans for imparting a limited rotaryy movement to the carrier when thevreceptacles have been'lifted by`the carrier out of the receptacles.

l0. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, an uprightshaft, a carrier arranged to travel up and down on said' shaft, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containing the material 'to becooked, means for'raising and lowering said carrier coaXially with theshaft, and means for im-' parting an intermittent rotary movement to thecarrier to position the receptacles pro'- gre'ssively abovethe-'kettles. l

11, An automatic cooker comprising a pluably mounted on the standard, aplurality of receptacles on the Lcarrier* containing the material to becooked, means `for operating the carrier to lower the receptacles intothe kettles and to raise them out of the kettles, and means for rotatingthe carrier intermit tently to advance the receptacles step by stepbefore lowering them into-the kettles.

12. Anautomatic cooker comprising a plu-A rality of kettles, a standard,a guide on the standard, a carrier slidably mounted on the standard andguided by said guide, a plurality of receptacles onthe carriercontainrotating the carrier intermittently.

13.. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a standard,a guide track on the standard, a carrier, a pluralit of.- receptacles onthe carrier containing t e material to be cooked, means on the.carrier.en gaging said track to guide thecarrierin its up and downmovement, and a switch device permitting the carrier4 to'-rotate .alimited distance after the carrier has'raised suii- 115 c'ently for thereceptacles to clear the kett es.

14. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a standard,\atrack on said standard, a carrier reciprocally slidable 'on 120 thestandard, a plurality of receptacles on the carrier containing thematerialoto be cooked, radially disposed guide pins on the carrierarranged for successive engagement with said track, a switch device forpermitting a limited rotary movement to said carrier after thereceptacles have cleared the kettles inthe upward-movement of thecarrier, and means for operatingsaidv carrier.

15. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles,

plurality of kettles, a standard, guide bars on the standard spacedapart t0 form a guide track, a carrier slidable on the standard, aplurality of receptacles von the car rier containing the material to becooked, a plurality of radially disposed yielding pins on thel carrierarranged to successively engage the guide bars and track, a pivotedswitch bar on one guide bar to permit a limited rotary movement of thecarrier when the receptacles have cleared the kettles, and means foroperating the carrier.

16. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a standard, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containing the material to becooked, a guide track and guide bars on the standard, a plurality ofradial spring-pressed pins on the carrier successively engaging saidtrack and bars, a filler in said track and having inclines at its topand bottom, and a pivoted switch bar at the upperend of'one track bar topermit limited vrotary movement of the carrier when the receptacles havecleared the kettles.

17. An automatic cooker comprising a a standard, a carrier slidablevertically on the standard, a plurality of receptacles on the carriercontaining thematerial to lhe cooked, means for operating the carrier toraise the receptacles out of the kettles and to advance the carrierrotatively a step and to lower the receptacles into the next adjacentkettles, and means for timing the intermittent operation of the carrier.v

18. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality vof kettles, a verticallymovable carrier, a plurality of receptacles on the carrier containingthe` material to be cooked, and means for limitih the upward anddownward movementsfo the carrier.

1,9. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containing the Inaterial to becooked, means -for imparting a vertically Areciprocating movement to thecarrier, and means for limiting the upward and downward movements of thecarrier comprising a motor circuit, fixed contacts in said circult, apair of disks pivotally mounted, movable contacts on said disks, leverde- 1 vices for operating. the disks, and means for operating said leverdevices.

20. An -automatic cooker comprising a shaft, a pulley on` said shaft, acable attached to said pulley and to the carrier, and a device on thecarrier to engage said lever devices.

21. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier containingthe material to becooked, means for raising and lowering the carrier, and a timing devicefor said means comprising a motor circuit, a pair of constantly-rotatingdisks, contacts on saidvdisks and spring contacts arranged in the pathof said contacts during the rotation of said disks to close the circuitand energize said motor at intervals.

22. An automatic cooker comprising a plurality of kettles, a carrier, aplurality of vreceptacles on the carrier containing the ma terial to becooked, a receiving hopper, means for operating the carrierintermittently to arrange the. receptacle successively in the kettlesand hopper, and means for discharging the contents of the receptacle asit is arranged in the hopper.

. 23. In an automatic cooker, a hopper,a

carrier intermittently rotatable, a plurality of receptacles pivotallysuspended from the carrier, tracks -on said hopper, and projections onsaid receptacles to engage said tracks to upend the receptacle in thehopper.

24. In an automaticcooker, an intermittently rotatable carrier, aplurality of receptacles on the carrier to receive the material, asupply hopper having a discharge spout,

a'shaft, a valve disk on said shaft and having an opening therein, achute leading from sald lspout, an arm on said shaft adapted to beengaged b the carrier yto rock the shaft and register t e opening inthedisk with the spout to permit the discharge of material from the hopper,into a receptacle, and means for restoring the parts'to normalposition.

CHARLES FREDERICK FORD.

